A front pushes northwards over the South Island today bringing rain in the west and dry hot weather out east for most. Northerlies for the North Island with the aforementioned front moving into the southwest overnight. A series of fronts push northwards over New Zealand on Saturday in a southwesterly airflow.

Sunny spells for most of the North Island today, the odd shower possible about eastern Bay Of Plenty / East Cape. A few showers move into Taranaki in the afternoon then spreading into most southwestern parts of the North Island later in the evening / overnight. Heavy rain spreads northwards along the West Coast of the South Island today, mainly dry in the east with some high cloud although a few spots spread into Marlborough for a time. A few showers spread into Southland this afternoon and perhaps Otago by evening with a west to southwest change.

Some morning rain for the upper North Island on Saturday then easing to showers in the afternoon, showers may become heavy with thunderstorms in the afternoon for Northland and Bay Of Plenty then easing in the evening. Northwesterlies change southwest. Morning showers in the southwest then dry spells increasing from afternoon. Mainly dry in the east with some high cloud, late afternoon / evening a southwest change brings a few showers. Some morning rain for the West Coast of the South Island then easing to showers, mostly clearing evening. Showers about Southland and Otago spread northwards into Canterbury during the afternoon with a southerly change. There may be some rain about inland Canterbury from evening then easing overnight.

By Weather Analyst Aaron Wilkinson – WeatherWatch.co.nz